YANGZHENGZONG, a chain restaurant, is bringing Shandong-style whole roasted lamb to Shenzhen residents’ dining tables.

    Located on the second floor of Yunding Jiayuan, a residential property in Bao’an District, the restaurant provides roast-on-order service. People can first choose a live black or white goat in the restaurant, which graze on natural pastures in northern China.

    Cooks in the restaurant then slaughter the goat, tie it to an iron rack and brush it with traditional seasonings.

    Manual rotation of the rack keeps each whole goat evenly heated by a charcoal fire for two hours. Traditional seasonings are added to the goat throughout the roasting process.

    The mutton is tender inside and crispy outside. It tastes oily, but not greasy.

    Diners can choose six different levels of spiciness, based on their preference.

    While it is still hot, cooks separate the mutton from the bones.

    Diners are also served millet pancakes along with the mutton. Mutton wrapped in the pancakes goes well with chili sauce, mashed peanuts and nutlets.

    The sheep’s bones are used to cook hot and sour soup, which people can enjoy with shashlik.

    Besides lamb, the restaurant also serves roasted fish, chicken, piglet and rabbit in an effort to provide a variety of yummy foods to local residents.

    Headquartered in Jinan, Shandong Province, Yangzhengzong was established by the Yang family, who has a long history of lamb roasting.

    (Martin Li)